An OTTB test pilot trains calmly under pressure
Jessica Morthole deftly balances to steady the powerful racehorse as he tosses his head and dances out of rhythm. Posting above Gib’s irregular gait, she maintains gentle contact with her hands, when, in a sudden burst of passion, he twists his body away from her contact, and explodes. Thinking with the calm purpose of a test pilot, Morthole squares her shoulders, drives her heels low, sits deeper in the saddle and pulls the spooked animal back to reality, settling him down again for another try at trotting correctly. This is a woman well seasoned in the uncommon art of retraining […]
